


échappé

by vargs



Series: Pas de deux [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dancing, F/F, Past Peachshipping, danceshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 16:25:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5097311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vargs/pseuds/vargs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anzu loves what she does, but sometimes that's not enough. A girl has to be strong in the face of opposition, but sometimes she can't help needing some support.</p>
<p>(or: <em>Dialing the wrong number can sometimes lead to good things.</em>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	échappé

**Author's Note:**

> **prompt:** ‘i called the wrong number and started talking about my life and you only interrupted me after a few minutes of me revealing some pretty personal stuff and now youre invested in my life troubles’ au  
>  **word count:** 1,548
> 
> originally from [tumblr](http://immuration.tumblr.com/post/130186245280/fic-practice-au-prompts). reposted here bc my tumblr makes it disgusting to read, but i love my dark theme too much to change it.

Anzu almost didn’t make it to her room in time. She could only hope she didn’t alarm anyone on her flight up the stairs to her floor, but she was too busy trying to keep it together to know for sure if she’d passed by anyone. She just needed to get somewhere private, somewhere she could safely let her restraints drop so she could piece herself back together later.

Arriving at her door, she pulled her bag open, her search for her key card somewhat frantic. Finally finding her key card, she pulled it out of the protective ID pocket and jammed it into the card reader, resisting the urge to kick the door in frustration when her password didn’t go through the first time. It would be fine, it would be fine…

Her roommate was out. Thank god. As soon as the door slammed shut behind her, Anzu dropped her bag and collapsed onto the floor, trying and failing to keep her act together.

Normally, Anzu tried so hard to be strong. She’d always seen it as her duty to be the big-sister figure to her friends. Kind, supportive Anzu whom her friends could always count on to give good advice and listen when they needed an ear. And she was a big girl now, heading off into the world to chase her dreams. She had so much to be proud of and so much more to accomplish. Mazaki Anzu was strong. Mazaki Anzu did not whine. Mazaki Anzu was not a quitter.

Controlling her shudders just enough to reach into her bag again, she managed to pull out her cellphone, fumbling as she flipped it open and dialed a number she hadn’t called in months. She had pointedly deleted it out of her contacts, but sheer muscle memory came through in her dire moment of need.

The dial tone stopped before she could catch her breath on a sob, but now that she’d made the call, she couldn’t help it.

“I’m sorry… I know this is r-really unfair to you. But I didn’t know who else to call…”

Anzu sucked in a breath, but she just couldn’t seem to keep her voice steady. The more she talked, the more she broke down. She hoped Yugi could forgive her weakness.

“…I just c-can’t handle it anymore!,” she choked out, knowing Yugi was silently listening on the other end, probably setting aside his own heartbreak just for her sake. The boy was too kindhearted sometimes. She’d have to make it up to him somehow.

“The language barrier, the culture… the instructor. S-She hates me, I just know it! I try so hard to do well! I practiced the routine until my feet bled, you know?!”

She managed a hiccuping laugh. She knew results were what mattered, but just once, just _once_ , she wished it was enough that she poured her heart and sweat into it. She wished she could get through one week without a disappointed shake of a head in her direction, without her classmates’ pitying looks that they directed her way when they thought she couldn’t see them. The poor Japanese girl who had a dream to dance in New York, but had not been prepared for just how difficult the life would be.

“I can’t help thinking sometimes that this was all a mistake,” Anzu continued, fingers worrying at the hem of her shirt. She was still in her dance clothes. Couldn’t even handle staying in the studio long enough to change out of them.

“I don’t belong here, Yugi…” she confessed. “I’m not good enough, I don’t even know the language well. Every time I feel like I’ve finally made some progress, something happens to smack me in the face and tell me I haven’t actually made any at all.”

Yugi was being really quiet. She really shouldn’t have called. It had only been two months since their breakup, after all. And he’d liked her for a really long time. She was a terrible person for reminding him about it.

Anzu sniffed and took several deep breaths, willing composure on herself.

“… I’m sorry, Yugi. I know I shouldn’t have called. I just— I’m not strong enough. Sorry for calling so late…”

She wished he’d say something at least.

Finally…

“… U-Um…”

It was said in English. Anzu felt the blood rush to her face as she clapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. This wasn’t Yugi. Oh god, she’d just ranted in Japanese for what—two minutes? Three?! At a complete stranger!

She almost panicked and hung up before she could stammer an apology, but before she could even string together a few coherent words,

“Hey, um. Sorry, my Japanese isn’t too great, I only speak it at home to my parents and I kind of quit going to Japanese school halfway through high school. But if you’d prefer…”

The girl on the other end of the phone switched to Japanese.

“… I can try and hopefully not make a fool of myself. Sorry, this isn’t Yugi. But I can lend an ear to a fellow girl friend in need! What’s that instructor been saying to you? She better not be picking on you because you’re an international student. Report her ass immediately if she is! Teachers like that are a disgrace!”

Anzu had to take several seconds to get over her shock. The girl on the other end continued to talk, her vocabulary certainly rusty, but her attitude shining through nonetheless. Somehow, this random stranger was getting defensive on her behalf, expressing her indignant opinion about the people who were failing her in her life, giving her advice and telling her she was definitely worth it, no girl should let some shoddy dance school instructor tell her she can’t have her dream.

“—Hey, you all right? You haven’t spoken in a while. I haven’t scared you off, have I? Sorry, sometimes I come across a little strong.”

Anzu was surprised to find that she felt a lot better. Enough to laugh and wipe at her eyes.

“No, I’m still here. I just… sorry, I’m fine. It’s been a rough day. I’m really sorry for calling you! I didn’t even realize!”

The voice wasted no time in brushing off the apology, saying it was no problem at all, don’t worry about it.

“…Thank you,” Anzu said quietly, and meant it whole-heartedly. Her entire experience in this foreign country had been a series of culture shocks and negative encounters, but even then, Anzu was gratified in knowing that even here, something good could happen. Something good would always happen, no matter how bad the situation. She believed in this steadfastedly, but it was still nice to be reminded of the truth of this when she most needed it.

“I don’t even know your name,” she laughed, still a little embarrassed.

The voice huffed a laugh in return. It was a comforting sound that made Anzu feel warm inside.

“It’s Mai. Kujaku Mai, if you’re wondering, but just Mai is fine! How about you, mystery caller~?”

Mai. _‘Dance.’_ She couldn’t put a name to what she was feeling at the moment, but it felt good. And right. For the first time in a long while.

“Then please call me Anzu. I’m Mazaki Anzu.”

She wished she didn’t have to hang up after all this.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mai. I’m still really sorry I called you.”

“Oh, nonsense! That again? I don’t mind! In fact, save this number if you ever need someone to vent at, OK? You sound like a girl who’s trying to get places and I love that. I wanna keep rooting for you!”

Anzu had, in fact, been wondering if it would be too forward to ask if they could… be friends, maybe? It wasn’t that her classmates were snobs. It was just so hard to find someone who understood what Anzu was going through. Someone she could talk to plainly, whom she felt could listen to her without judgment.

Mai might not have the same problems that Anzu had, but Anzu still felt a connection there. This mysterious girl who inspired such a feeling of camraderie in the space of a misdirected phone call.

“So, Anzu, right?” Anzu was jolted out of her thoughts, again a little embarrassed that she’d been caught with her mind wandering. “Who’s this 'Yugi’ you were supposed to be calling? Boyfriend?”

Oh god.

“Oh, no, no, u-um, actually, not my boyfriend… anymore.” What would Mai think about her being pathetic enough to reach out to an ex for support?

“Ohhhh. Sorry, sore subject?” Instead of judgment, all Anzu heard was genuine curiosity.

“N-No, that’s not it. It’s just…” She trailed off, abashed and not sure if this was really what she wanted to share with her new… tentative friend.

“Just…?” Mai prompted.

“… It’s a long story.”

Anzu could hear Mai smile on the other end.

“I’ve got time. Tell me~” Without missing a beat. Did people like this really exist?

She really shouldn’t. Anzu took a deep breath, clutched her phone harder, and pulled her knees up to her chest.

Somehow, she got the sentence out.

“Well, then promise me you’ll tell me about you after this…?”

That laugh came again.

“Sounds like a plan!”

—

end.

**Author's Note:**

> échappé - ( _ballet term_ ) "Escape". A two-part movement from fifth position to second (or fourth), and returning to fifth again, either with a jump or en pointe.
> 
> this is turning into a series of one-shots in the same universe, i think.  
> delivery date: i have no clue.
> 
> (why was it possible for Anzu to dial Yugi's number and have it accidentally become Mai's American number? Yugi moved to the U.S. with Anzu in this universe. to do what? it's a mystery..........)


End file.
